176-10036-10102

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176-10036-10102
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CIA Information Telegram
3/19/1963
3

9/10/2000

National Security Files, Box 197: Vietnam, 2/63-3/63. Box 2

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY = - \} pew

This material contains inlormation affecting the Netional Defonse of ths United States within the meening of tho Espionage Lows, Title 18, U.S.C Secs
793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to ac unauthorized person is prohibited by faw.

CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
NO FOREIGN DISSEM

C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L

COUNTRY SOUTH VIETNAM/CHINA (TAIWAN) REPORT NO. ToCs-3/540, 863

te 2 spe
. Bes p
SUBJECT DISCUSSIONS. BETWEEN PRESIDENT DIEM AND DATE DISTR. 19 MARCH 1963 5 he d
VICE PRESIDENT CHEN CHENG OF NATIONALIST 7 . ‘
CHINA PRECEDENCE ROUTINE
pateor 4-9 MARCH 1963 REFERENCES IN 89258
- INFO, : . , . a
Place g VIETNAM, SAIGON (5-12 MARCH 1963)
‘DATE ACQ.
APPRAISALSE B FIELD REPORT NO. FVS-8661

THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION. SOURCE GRAOINGS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE,

SOURCE A HIGH-LEVEL MEMBER (B) OF THE CHINESE NATIONALIST DIPLOMATIC ESTABLISHMENT IN
SAIGON WHO IS BELIEVED TO REPORT WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS GOVERNMENT, A
CHINESE BUSINESSMAN (F) WITH EXTENSIVE CONTACTS IN THE CHINESE COMMUNITY, AND A
MEMBER (F) OF THE CHINESE NATIONALIST DIPLOMATIC ESTABLISHMENT IN SAIGON.

APPR. IT IS PROBABLY TRUE THAT LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS OCCURRED BETWEEN THE “TWO LEADERS AND
POSSIBLY TRUE THAT THE SUBJECTS INDICATED WERE COVERED.

1. DURING THE VISIT OF NATIONALIST CHINA'S (CHINAT) VICE ofestout -CHEN CHENG
TO SOUTH VIETNAM FROM 4 ‘TO'9 MARCH 1963,.HE AND PRESIDENT NGO DINH DIEM CONVERSED
IN EXCESS OF TWENTY HOURS, CHIEFLY IN PRIVATE WITH ONLY AN INTERPRETER: PRESENT.
THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WAS EVIDENCED BY THE EXPRESSIONS ON THE
FACES OF THE TWO MEN FOLLOWING THEIR VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS. THE CONTENTS OF THE
CONVERSATIONS DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH (His “ADVISORS OF ELTHER
PARTICIPANT. = —_ ,

2. CHEN DELAYED ‘HIS SCHEDULED DEPARTURE FROM SAIGON FOR 2h HOURS TO PERMIT

HIM TO TRAVEL WITH DIEM TO DALAT, ‘WHERE, EXCEPT FOR A BRIEF

CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS dachede ee enone
C-O-N-F-I-D-B-N-T-I-A-L No FOREIGN DISSEM | 4

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“coKHENTIR _ NO FORBIGN DISSEM

CONFIDENTIAL

" CLASSIFICATION = = DISSEMINATION CONTROLS’

tocs -37/ 540 863

VISIT TO THE MILITARY SCHOOL, THE ENTIRE’ TIME WAS. DEVOTED TO PRIVATE
TALKS, MEMBERS OF THE CHEN ENTOURAGE WERE NOT NOTIFIED: UNTIL THE

LAST MOMENT OF THE REVISED SCHEDULE NOR WERE THEY GIVEN ANY IND LGAT ION
AS TO THE CONTENT OF THE DISCUSSIONS.

3, MEMBERS OF THE CHINAT DELEGATION AND’ OF THE CHINAT DIPLOMATIC
COMMUNITY SPECULATED THAT THE TWO MAIN TOPICS OF CONVERSATION WERE. ™
GREATLY INCREASED CHINAT MILITARY SUPPORT FOR SOUTH VIETNAM, AND ‘THE
USE OF SOUTH VIETNAM AS A BASE FOR CHINAT MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST
THE CHINA MAINLAND, CHEN 1S BELIEVED TO HAVE OFFERED: DIEM UNRESTRICTED
MILITARY TRAINING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT, PLUS UP TO: ONE DIVISION OF
COMBAT TROOPS TO FIGHT IN VIETNAMESE ARMY UNIFORMS.’ - CHEN IS ALSO
THOUGHT TO HAVE ASKED DIEM TO CEASE DRAFTING OVERSEAS CHINESE -

VIETNAM, WHICH |S CAUSING THE CHINATS EMBARASSMENT , I.E. , DEMONSTRATIONS
BY THESE LOCAL CHINESE AGAINST THE “CHINAT EMBASSY IN’ SAIGON AND

APPEALS TO THE CHINAT AMBASSADOR.. CHEN PROBABLY ASKED DIEM TO: PUB-
LICLY SUPPORT THE CHINAT MAINLAND COUNTERATTACK THEME AND TO GRANT AIR-
FIELD AND COASTAL: BASES FOR CHINAT MILITARY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE
OPERATIONS AGAINST THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF CHINA.

OTHER LIKELY TOPICS OF CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE Two MEN WERE THE
CONDUCTING OF JOINT OPERATIONS INTO NORTH VIETNAM AND LAOS, THE

MATTER OF THAILAND'S MOVEMENT TOWARDS NEUTRALITY, AND JOINT EFFORTS

TO UNSEAT CAMBODIA'S SIHANOUK, WHOM THE CHINATS FEEL 1S:A-LACKEY OF
"CLASSIFICATION — aeANATOW conmnais =
NO FOREIGN DISSEM


CLASSIF: CATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS

“PONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN DISSEM . TDCS -3/540,863

PEIPING, CONCENSUS AMONG THE CHINAT COMMUNITY AND CHEN'S DELEGATION

WAS THAT SOME ACCORD WAS REACHED BY THE TWO LEADERS, AS CHEN WAS IN
EXCELLENT SPIRITS AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS VISIT.
4, -ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT SLOW IN GETTING STARTED, THE VISIT DID

RESULT IN BRINGING THE TWO GOVERNMENTS CLOSER TOGETHER, PARTICULARLY
THE COUNTERPARTS OF THE TWO COUNTRIES. THE VISIT ALSO SERVED A
USEFUL PURPOSE IN EFFECTIVELY IMPRESSING THE LOCAL CHINESE POPULATION,
WHICH TURNED OUT MORE OR LESS SPONTANEOUSLY IN AN ESTIMATED ONEi.HUNDRED’
THOUSAND ALONG THE ROUTE 10/1 RPORT TO CHEER CHEN WHEN HE.
DEPARTED, THE APPARENTLY GENUINE ENTHUSIASM OF THE USUALLY APATHETIC
VIETNAMESE CHINESE CAME AS A SURPRISE EVEN TO THE LOCAL CHINAT
"DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY.
5. FIELD DISSEM, STATE ARMY NAVY AIR USMACV MAAG AID. USIA
‘CINCPAC PACFLT ARPAC PACAF 9TH FIELD STATION 2ND AIR DIVISION.

‘END OF MESSAGE

. CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS

GONFIENTIL warn re


